1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to production line stocking equipment.
2. Background Art
Production lines generally, and in particular automotive assembly lines, are serviced by material handling trucks that deliver component parts to production stations. In many instances, a tow motor truck is used to deliver several bins or racks to an unloading area near a production line. At the production line, a lift truck, or hi-low, picks up the bins or racks from the unloading area and delivers them one at a time to the production station. The lift truck sorts the bins and racks that are dropped off by the tow motor as it takes the bins and racks to the proper production line station. Using a forklift truck to move bins and racks normally requires that loads be lifted off the ground and, therefore, may create safety concerns.
Tow motors usually take from one to four bins or racks of parts from the storage location to the production line in a train if the tow motor is servicing several lines or must make several stops on the same line. The operator normally pulls the tow motor to the first location and disengages the trailer hook of the last rack from the hook receptacle. Preferably, the tow motor works so that the end of the train is dropped off first and empty containers to be returned to a storage location are placed at the end of the train. This process continues until all of the parts have been delivered and a train of empty containers is in tow.
Planning is required to place the bins and racks in the proper order and changes in the route can disrupt even the most carefully planned drop off sequence. If, for instance, a three bin train is pulled by a tow motor and it becomes necessary to provide the first bin in the train to the production line before the other bin in a train, effort is wasted and it may become necessary to move heavy part-laden bins to reconnect them to the tow motor.
There is a need for a simple system for stocking production lines with parts that provides flexibility as to the order in which parts are supplied. There is also a need for a lightweight part container or dolly that can be moved by workers without requiring a lift truck to sort and deliver bins of production parts.
Another problem associated with delivering conventional bins or racks to a production line is that they normally have hooks and hook receptacles that may remain with the racks. The space required for the hooks adds to congestion at line side work stations.
The present invention is directed to providing a solution to the above problems and provides an efficient solution to many other material handling problems encountered in assembly line and other production operations.
The above problems and disadvantages are addressed by the present invention as summarized below.